Railroad Commission chief eyes run for state AG

Texas Railroad Commission Chairman Barry Smitherman announced Monday that he is making a run for attorney general.

Campaign announcement video below.

In a blog post, Smitherman said his “intention is to run for an open Attorney General’s position only if General Abbott will not seek re-election.” Abbott has yet to announce his future political plans, but it is widely expected he’s eyeing a run for governor.

Smitherman, who as chairman of the railroad commission oversees the state’s oil and gas industry, will not have to resign from his current position if he decides to run. Gov. Rick Perry recently vetoed an ethics bill that would have required railroad commissioners to resign before running for another office.

Aside from Smitherman, Rep. Dan Branch is also flirting with the idea of running for AG. According to the Texas Tribune, which first reported the news about Smitherman’s bid for AG, a short list of potential challengers include state Sen. Ken Paxton, R-McKinney, Bexar County District Attorney Susan Reed and former Texas Supreme Court Justice Harriet O’Neill.